Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Luke

Luke 
Day 
Day 143

Luke 11: 14-36 "A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE AND MINISTRY"

Day 143 – Luke 11

Text: Luke 11: 14-36

A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE AND MINISTRY

It is of vital importance that we bear in mind that Jesus was filled with the Spirit of God in His life and ministry! Let us take a moment to review this understanding. It is essential to our understanding and appreciation of the passage that we are going to study.

1. Luke carefully records that the Holy Spirit was involved in the life of Jesus from His conception (Luke 1:35)

2. John the Baptizer proclaimed that the Lord Jesus would “baptize with the Holy Spirit” Himself (Luke 3:16)

3. At the Baptism of Jesus, “The Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him” (Luke 3:22)

4. The Lord Jesus then became, “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1,14)

5. Jesus at the onset of His public ministry proclaimed, “The Spirit of the Lord was upon Him…” (Luke 4:18)

THE MANY SPIRITUAL BATTLES WITH DEMONIC POWERS

Time and again, Luke mentioned that demonic powers ravaged the lives of human beings! He would also mention that Jesus would graciously help those who were demonized. Here’s a quick list of the number of people Jesus released from the power of demons:-

1. The man who was possessed by an unclean spirit in Capernaum (Luke 4:33-36)

2. General mention of many who were freed from the power of demons (Luke 4:41) (“And demons also came out of many…”)

3. “Certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities” followed Jesus as His disciples (Luke 8:2)

4. The madman of Gadara who seemed to have a Legion of demons (Luke 8:26-40)

5. The Disciples of the Lord Jesus were empowered with authority to deal with demons (Luke 9:1, Luke 10:17-18)

6. The young lad who suffered from epilepsy caused by a powerful demon (Luke 9:37-42)

7. In today’s study passage, we read that Jesus healed a man who was a “deaf-mute” (Luke 11:14)

THREE UNWORTHY RESPONSES

How should one understand and interpret such obvious power given to a man – if indeed he was only a man! In today’s passage of Scripture, we note three unworthy reactions:-

1. The reaction of the multitudes was fairly “mild.” The multitudes only “marveled” at what they saw. They did not come to faith in Jesus. They were not drawn to think that they were in the Presence of a very Special Person. Luke recorded that the “multitudes marveled” (Luke 11:14; Cf. Luke 4:36) where the multitude merely expressed “amazement” when Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit. One would imagine that more than mere “amazement” would be called for. “Amazement” is but a synonym for “marveling.”

2. The second response came from another quarter. Luke did not identify this group, but Mark did. We turn to Mark 3 for a clearer description of this problem.

“And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said,
‘He has Beelzebub,’ and
‘By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons’ “
Mark 3:22

The “scribes from Jerusalem” would represent the top religious scholars. They came all the way from Jerusalem to study Jesus and swiftly they concluded that Jesus must be in league with the ruler of the demons, otherwise Jesus could not do what He was doing!

3. The third group was skeptical and cynical. They were not convinced by what they saw. They “tested Him (and) sought from Him a sign from Heaven” (Luke 11:16)

Jesus had performed countless miracles already. Through Him…

“The blind see, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
the poor have the Gospel preached to them…”
Luke 7:22

How could they have tested Jesus any further? How could they have asked for another sign?

“BUT HE KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS…” Luke 11:17

Jesus knew their thoughts. He knew the evil that was in their hearts. These were skeptical because they refused to acknowledge who Jesus was! They compounded their problem by refusing to acknowledge and deal with their sins�¯�¿�½

1. Of Pride

2. Of Arrogance

3. Of Self

They were jealous of the way Jesus was able to pull the crowds. They were upset with Jesus because they had lost every public theological battle they had with Him. They were angry because Jesus had revealed just how impotent their religious practices were. They had been publicly exposed and humiliated!

They were out to destroy Him. Mark 3:6 well described the intentions of the enemies of Jesus,

“Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted
with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.”

How hard it must have been for Jesus to minister in such a hostile environment.

Webmaster’s Note :

If you are seeking a deeper level of understanding of prayer, please check out Pastor Charlie Tan’s excellent weekly articles on The Theology of Prayer , which includes a more indepth study of The Lord’s Prayer and how it applies to our prayer-life.